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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare cover

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Chapter 173: CYMBELINE

By William Shakespeare

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About This Book

This collection gathers dramatic works and lyrical poems spanning comedies, tragedies, histories, and a sonnet sequence, presenting plays in verse and prose alongside narrative poems. The pieces examine human experience through recurring themes of love, ambition, jealousy, power, fate, and the tension between appearance and reality, moving between comic confusion and tragic collapse. Language and theatrical craft are central, employing vivid imagery, rhetorical invention, puns, and varied poetic forms to probe identity, political conflict, and moral choice across intimate moments and public spectacle.

CYMBELINE

Contents

Scene I. Britain. The garden of Cymbeline’s palace

Scene II. The same

Scene III. Britain. A public place

Scene IV. Britain. Cymbeline’s palace

Scene V. Rome. Philario’s house

Scene VI. Britain. Cymbeline’s palace

Scene VII. Britain. The palace

Scene I. Britain. Before Cymbeline’s palace

Scene II. Britain. Imogen’s bedchamber in Cymbeline’s palace; a trunk in one corner

Scene III. Cymbeline’s palace. An ante-chamber adjoining Imogen’s apartments

Scene IV. Rome. Philario’s house

Scene V. Rome. Another room in Philario’s house

Scene I. Britain. A hall in Cymbeline’s palace

Scene II. Britain. Another room in Cymbeline’s palace

Scene III. Wales. A mountainous country with a cave

Scene IV. Wales, near Milford Haven

Scene V. Britain. Cymbeline’s palace

Scene VI. Wales. Before the cave of Belarius

Scene VII. The same

Scene VIII. Rome. A public place

Scene I. Wales. Near the cave of Belarius

Scene II. Wales. Before the cave of Belarius

Scene III. Britain. Cymbeline’s palace

Scene IV. Wales. Before the cave of Belarius

Scene I. Britain. The Roman camp

Scene II. Britain. A field of battle between the British and Roman camps

Scene III. Another part of the field

Scene IV. Britain. A prison

Scene V. Britain. Cymbeline’s tent

Dramatis Personæ

CYMBELINE, King of Britain
CLOTEN, son to the Queen by a former husband
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, a gentleman, husband to Imogen
BELARIUS, a banished lord, disguised under the name of Morgan
GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS, sons to Cymbeline, disguised under the names of POLYDORE and CADWAL, supposed sons to Belarius
PHILARIO, Italian, friend to Posthumus
IACHIMO, Italian, friend to Philario
CAIUS LUCIUS, General of the Roman forces
PISANIO, servant to Posthumus
CORNELIUS, a physician
A SOOTHSAYER
A ROMAN CAPTAIN
TWO BRITISH CAPTAINS
A FRENCH GENTLEMAN, friend to Philario
TWO LORDS of Cymbeline’s court
TWO GENTLEMEN of the same
TWO GAOLERS

QUEEN, wife to Cymbeline
IMOGEN, daughter to Cymbeline by a former queen
HELEN, a lady attending on Imogen

APPARITIONS

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, a Dutch Gentleman, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants

SCENE: Britain; Italy.